Buying Food Dehydrators: What You Need to Know

Food dehydratorsare probably one of the most useful appliances every homeowner should have. These apparatus are essential to cooking healthy and delicious food. If you happen to frequent markets, you might have seen a wide variety of models available with different sizes, styles, and prices.

However, you must know that various models have a variety of uses and function. Not all models work the same with the same type of fruit and vegetable. Although the main purpose is to extend the shelf life of food by removing water from the material, you must keep in mind the following aspects when buying food dehydrators.

1. CAPACITY

When buying these pieces of apparatus, you must always remember that size do really matter. Furthermore, you have to choose a machine that fits snuggly in your kitchen shelf. Regardless, you have to consider not just the size but also its type.

Basically, there are type types when it comes to the machine’s capacity: expandable and non-expandable. The former can dry more batches of food than the latter, which dries single batches at one time. So if you hate wasting your time, you might need to get the expandable type. However, a larger size would also mean a costlier price tag. Learn more about Raw Blend

2. AIR FLOW SYSTEM

Australian food dehydrators do have a specialised dehydrating system. A single apparatus might have either a vertical or horizontal airflow system. Although both have its pros and cons, you can select one depending on your demands and needs.

Vertical Air Flow

These machines have fans situated either at the bottom or at the top, distributing heat equally and properly within the unit. They dry the food faster in the shortest span of time possible. So, if you want to use this for dehydrating meat and vegetables, these devices are highly recommended.

Horizontal Air Flow

Machines with a horizontal air flow system have fans mounted at the unit’s bottom. This ensures that the heat is distributed to all trays within the unit. Making this advantageous especially if you want to dry vegetables, fish, and fruits at the same time. You do not have to worry because the flavours will not get mixed. Furthermore, because of its much larger size, units like this are spacious.

3. NUMBER OF TRAYS

It is also important to take note of the number of trays a unit has. Especially if you need to work faster without much hassle, food dehydrators with more trays are always better.

4. THERMOSTAT SYSTEM

This feature is not usually found in cheaper units. So, if you want to have quality results, you better opt for those with a thermostat to control the temperature. This will allow you to set the temperature depending on the food’s requirement.

5. TIMER

A built-in timer is an essential feature in a dehydrating machine. A feature not commonly seen in all dehydrator types, this is most likely seen on apparatus with higher price tags. Extremely recommended to people who have to juggle between chores at home, this automatically shuts off the drying mechanism, preventing the food from burning and overly desiccated.